This invention relates generally to water remediation systems.
There is a well recognized need to clean-up contaminants that exist in ground and surface water. In particular, there is one type of contamination problem which widely exists, that is, the contamination of surface waters or subsurface waters which find their way to the surface such as, for example, in a contaminated spring. Such surface waters may be contaminated with various constituents including volatile hydrocarbons, such as chlorinated hydrocarbons including trichloroethene (TCE), tetrachloroethene (PCE).
According to an additional aspect of the present invention, a microporous diffuser includes a first elongated member including at least one sidewall having a plurality of microscopic openings, said sidewall defining an interior hollow portion of said member and a second elongated member having a second sidewall having a plurality of microscopic openings, said second member being disposed through the hollow region of said first member. The diffuser includes an end cap to seal a first end of the microporous diffuser and an inlet cap disposed at a second end of microporous diffuser for receiving inlet fittings.
According to an additional aspect of the present invention, a microporous diffuser includes a first hollow cylindrical tube having a sidewall comprising a plurality of microscopic openings and a second hollow tube having a sidewall having a plurality of microscopic openings, said second tube being disposed through said first tube. The diffuser also includes an end cap to seal ends of said tubes and an inlet cap disposed to provide inlets to interior portions formed by sidewalls of said tubes.
According to a still further aspect of the invention, a microporous diffuser includes a first hollow cylindrical tube coupled to a first inlet and adapted to be fed by a gas, the tube having a sidewall comprising a plurality of microscopic openings the openings having a diameter in a range of 1 to 200 microns and a second hollow tube coupled to a second inlet and adapted to be fed by a liquid, the tube having a sidewall with a plurality of microscopic openings, the openings having a diameter in a range of 1 to 200 microns, with the first tube being disposed through the second tube and arranged such that gas injected into the first tube travels towards the sidewall of the second tube forming microfine bubbles laminated with the liquid. The diffuser also includes an end cap to seal first ends of the tubes and an inlet cap disposed to seal second ends of said tubes and to support the first and second inlets to the interior portions formed between the tubes.